Synopses & Reviews
USING COMPUTERS IN THE LAW OFFICE, 6th Edition is the ideal book to provide readers with comprehensive, up-to-date information on the use of technology by paralegals in all types of legal organizations. It describes basic computer concepts as well as more complex skills and software programs with coverage and assignments for Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, AbacusLaw, CaseMap, HotDocs, Summation iBlaze, Tabs3, TimeMap, TrialDirector, and more. Using Computers in the Law Office covers important topics such as an updated discussion of electronic discovery, Internet legal/factual research, legal timekeeping and billing, litigation support software, and case management and docket control software. A variety of other topics are covered including WestLaw Next, Google Scholar, mobile computing, document management, security, ethics, the electronic courthouse and many other trends in legal computing. Each topic is presented in a clear and organized manner that includes many examples of how the software is actually used on-the-job. Detailed Hands-on Exercises ensure that readers will gain practical knowledge of these tools by giving them the opportunity to apply what is presented in the book and to practice using computers to complete legal work.
Synopsis
Using Computers in the Law Office, fifth edition provides up-to-date information regarding the use of technology by paralegals in all types of legal organizations. It includes basic computer concepts, including hardware and major software programs such as Word and Excel, and also addresses more complex skills and software programs available. Important topics covered include electronic discovery, Internet legal/factual research, legal timekeeping and billing, litigation support software, and case management and docket control software. A variety of other topics are also covered including: mobile computing, document management, security, ethics, the electronic courthouse and many other trends in legal computing. Each topic is presented in a clear and organized manner and includes many examples of how the software is actually used by the paralegal on-the-job. With more than ten hands-on tutorials, students have the opportunity to apply what it presented in the text and practice using computers to complete legal work.
About the Author
Matthew S. Cornick, J.D., is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Emory University School of Law. He has been teaching Civil Litigation, Legal Research, Family Law, and Introduction to Law and Ethics to paralegal students for over twenty years. Mr. Cornick frequently speaks to paralegal associations and law firms on the topic of technology in the law office. He has served on the Approval Commission to the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Paralegals and is the author of A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO FAMILY LAW (West Publishing, 1995) USING COMPUTERS IN THE LAW OFFICE, 7e, as well as Advanced and Basic editions of that text.
Table of Contents
1. OVERVIEW OF COMPUTERS IN THE LAW OFFICE. Chapter Objectives. Introduction to Computers and the Law. Elementary Computer Concepts - Common Computer Terms and Examples. Relax, You've Done This Before - Specific Law Office Applications of Computer Software. How Computers Can Help the Legal Assistant. Legal Technology Trends. Legal Ethics and Computer Technology. Summary. Internet Sites. Key Terms. Test Your Knowledge. On the Web Exercises. Questions and Exercises. Endnotes. 2. WORD PROCESSING, PDF FILE CREATION, AND DOCUMENT ASSEMBLY. Chapter Objectives. Centralized and Decentralized Word Processing Systems. Legal Word-Processing Programs--Microsoft Word vs. Corel WordPerfect. Legal Word-Processing Fundamentals. PDF File Creation. Document Assembly Programs. Word Processing in the Legal Environment. Ethical Considerations. Summary. Internet Sites. Key Terms. Test Your Knowledge. On the Web Exercises. Questions and Exercises. Endnotes. Hands-on Exercises--Word 2007. Hands-on Exercises--Word 2003. Hands-on Exercises - Adobe Acrobat. Hands-on Exercises - HotDocs. 3. SPREADSHEET SOFTWARE. Chapter Objectives. What is a Spreadsheet? "What If" Analysis. Spreadsheet. Structure and Organization. Spreadsheet Fundamentals. Spreadsheet Planning. Spreadsheets in the Legal Environment. Ethical Considerations. Summary. Internet Sites. Key Terms. Test Your Knowledge. On the Web Exercises. Questions and Exercises. Hands-on Exercises--Excel 2007. Hands-on Exercises--Excel 2003. 4. LEGAL TIMEKEEPING AND BILLING SOFTWARE. Chapter Objectives. Introduction to Timekeeping and Billing. Manual versus Computerized Billing Systems. The Computerized Timekeeping and Billing Process Kinds of Legal Fee Agreements. Legal Expenses. Timekeeping and Billing for Legal Assistants. Functions of a Successful Billing System. Computerized Timekeeping and Billing. Integrating Timekeeping and Billing, Accounting, and Case Management What to Look for in Timekeeping and Billing Software. Billing from the Corporate and Government Perspective. The Ethics of Timekeeping and Billing. Summary. Key Terms. Internet Sites. Test Your Knowledge. On the Web Exercises. Questions and Exercises. Endnotes. Hands-on Exercises--Tabs3. 5. DATABASES, CASE MANAGEMENT AND DOCKET CONTROL SOFTWARE. Chapter Objectives. What is a Database? How Databases Are Used in Law Offices. Calendaring, Docket Control, and Case Management. Introduction to Docket Control / Case Management. Manual Docket Control. Types of Computerized Docket Control Systems. Overview of Computerized Legal Case Management and Docket Control. Implementing Case Management Systems--Why They Fail. The Docket Cycle. Considerations. Summary. Internet Sites. Key Terms. Test Your Knowledge. On the Web Exercises. Questions and Exercises. Endnotes. Hands-on Exercises--AbacusLaw. 6. ELECTRONIC DISCOVERY. Chapter Objectives. Electronically Stored Information. Electronic Discovery Overview. The Electronic Discovery Process. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Electronically Stored Information. Producing and Receiving ESI Ethical Considerations. Summary. Internet Sites. Key Terms. Test Your Knowledge. On the Web Exercises. Questions and Exercises. Endnotes. 7. LITIGATION SUPPORT SOFTWARE. Chapter Objectives. Information and Documents to Be Tracked in Litigation. Why Litigation Support? Manual Litigation Support Methods. Overview of Computerized Litigation Support. Types of Computerized Litigation Support Systems. The Litigation Support Process. Litigation Support Tips. Questions and Fears About Computerized Litigation Support. Ethical Considerations. Summary. Key Terms. Test Your Knowledge. Internet Sites. On the Web Exercises. Questions and Exercises. Endnotes. Hands-on Exercises--CT Summation iBlaze. Hands-on Exercises--LexisNexis CaseMap. Hands-on Exercises--LexisNexis TimeMap. 8. THE INTERNET, COMPUTER-ASSISTED LEGAL RESEARCH AND ELECTRONIC MAIL. Chapter Objectives. Introduction to the Internet. Use of the Internet in Legal Organizations. Searching for and Finding Information on the World Wide Web. Performing Legal Research on the Internet. Problems with Researching on the Internet. CALR: Online Legal Databases. Fee-Based Computer-Assisted Legal Research Services. WESTLAW. LexisNexis. Other CALR Fee-Based Service Providers Increased Productivity on CALR Systems. Legal Organization Web Pages. Legal Organization Intranets and Extranets. Electronic Mail. Ethical Considerations. Summary. Internet Sites. Key Terms. Test Your Knowledge. On the Web Exercises. Questions and Exercises. Endnotes. Hands-on Exercises--Legal and Factual Research on the Internet. Hands-on Exercises--WESTLAW. Hands-on Exercises--LexisNexis. 9. THE ELECTRONIC COURTHOUSE, AUTOMATED COURTROOM, AND PRESENTATION GRAPHICS. Chapter Objectives. The Electronic Courthouse. The Automated Courtroom. Overview of Presentation and Trial Presentation Software. Creating Presentations with Microsoft PowerPoint. Courtroom Presentation Tips. Presentation Graphics in the Legal Environment. Ethical Considerations. Summary. Internet Sites. Key Terms. Test Your Knowledge. On the Web Ex. Glossary.